Underframe with center sill for land vehicles such as railway cars



Dec. 13, 1949 R. EKSERGIAN- I ,4

UNDERFRAME WITH CENTER SILL FOR LAND VEHICLES SUCH AS RAILWAY QARS Filed Jan. 22, 1945- 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR RupenE ksergicm,

UNDERFRAME WITH CENTER SILL FOR LAND VEHICLES SUCH AS RAILWAY CARSv I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1945 V UTH m ATTQRNEY- Dec. 13, 1949 R. EKSERGIAN 2,490,738

UNDERFRAME WITH CENTER SILL FOR LAND VEHICLES SUCH AS RAILWAY CARS Filed Jan. 22, 1945 5 Sheets-sheaf s S g I INVEN7|0R Ru en Eksergian BY TM A TTORNE Y Dec. 13, 1949 R. EKSERGIAN UNDERFRAME WITH CENTER SILL FOR LAND VEHICLES SUCH AS RAILWAYCARS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan, 22, 1945 INVENTOR vmJ m7 E in w @UEH ATTORNEY R. EK SERGIAN UNDERFRAME WITH CENTER SILL FOR LAND VEHICLES SUCH AS RAILWAY CARS Dec. 13, 1949 Filed Jan. 22, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Ru? enEkserg ion ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 13, 1949 UNITED STATS TENT OFFICE UNDERFRAME WITH CENTER SILL FOR LAND VEHICLES SUCH AS RAILWAY CARS Rupen Eksergian, Media, Pa., assig-nor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania 10 Claims. 1

The invention relates to bodies of land vehicles such as railway cars and more specificall to the 'end underframe thereof. The invention relates also to the body structure adjoining and connected with such end underframe.

Among the objects of the invention is a vehicle body structure which is strong, rigid, light in weight, durable and easy to manufacture.

Among the more specific objects of the invention is an end underframe for railway cars or similar vehicles which effectively transmits all stresses, including collision shocks into the ad- J'oining body structure with a minimum of bending moments, and which transmits stresses due to unequal loading and the overhang of the body beyond its support on the trucks without greatly stressing the connections with the body.

The aforesaid and other objects and advantanges are achieved according to some aspects of the invention by an end underframe which has a transverse bolster connected to a center sill and by such connection between the center sill of the end under-frame and the adjoining body center sill that abrupt changes in stress are avoided and so that collision shocks are safely transmitted into the body even if the connecting means between the center sill of the end underframe and the adjoining center sill portion should give way.

The aforesaid and other objects, advantages l and features of the invention will be more clearly understood from the embodiments illustrated in the atttached drawings and described in the following.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one of the end underframes of a railway car and the adjoining portion of the body center sill and one of .its cross mem bers, certain body posts being shown in section; 3 Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same structure partly in section along line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the center sill substantially along the line 3 3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end elevation of the bolster of the underframe with the center sill in section along line fi l of Figure 1;

Figures 5 through 8 are sections through the center sill and the bolster beam respectively, substantially along the correspondingly numbered lines of Figures 1 and 3;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the underframe according to a second embodiment;

Figure 10 is a side elevation partly in section along line Ill-l ll of Figure 9; and

Figures 11 to 14 are fragmentary sectional views along the correspondingl numbered lines of Figure 9.

lhe end of the underfr-ame illustrated in Figures l to 8 is a unitary integral sub-assembly. This assembly may be manufactured by welding, particularly arc-welding, together appropriately shaped plates of a material such as steel. The main elements of the end under frame are the center sill 29, the bolster beam 2 l an intermediate transverse beam 22 and the end beam 23. Secured to the under side of the end frame at the intersection of the sill and the bo'ls-ter beam 2! is the center bearing 24 serving for the support of the body on a truck (not shown) The longitudinal center sill '20 comprises two vertical transversely spaced walls 25 which are on the inboard side, that is in the drawing on the left hand side, of the center plate 24 reinforced by outwardly directed marginal flanges 2B and 21. The inboard portion of the center sill is furthermore reinforced by Webs 28, 29 and 39 inserted between and .secured to the flanges 26, 2'! and the outside of the walls 25. A further web or bulkhead is inserted between and secured to the walls 25 at the location of the aforesaid webs 35], that is inboard of and-close to the center bearing. It will be noted that the bottom flanges 21 are substantially straight whereas the :upper margins of the walls 25 and the flanges 26 slope from about the webs and bulkhead 3G, 3i to the webs 29 and then more steeply from the webs 29 to the end of the sill and its webs 28. The purpose of this formation and of the webs 28 and of the bulkhead 3! will be described later on.

The ends of the flanges Z6 and 2! merge into and are integrally connected with generally T- shaped top and bottom plates 32, 33 and 34, 35 which in turn have their middle portions 32, 34 connected with the walls 25 on the outboard side of the bulkhead 3| and their arms 33, 35 with longitudinally spaced vertical walls 36 of the bolster 2! so as to form substantially closed .box sectional center sin and bolster beam structures. The walls 25 and 36 intersect each other Such as by webs 3? arranged between the two walls 25 and inner reinforcing plates 38 thereof so as to obtain continuous shear Web both for the bolster beam and the center sill. The bottom plates 35 of the bolster are upwardly and outwardly inclined in their mid portions whereas their outer portions extend about parallel to the horizontal arranged top plate 33. A tubular member 39 for the center pin (not shown) is arranged coaxially with the center plate '24 and integrally secured to the top and bottom plates 32, 34 and the webs 37 partly by diagonals 39.

Stifieners 40 and 4| are secured between the walls 36 and the top and bottom plates 33 and 35 of the bolster. The stiileners 45 at the outer ends of the bolster beam are adapted for fastening thereto the body side wall structures such as by the lower ends of the posts 42 diagrammatically illustrated in Figure l.

The aforesaid reinforcing plates 38 extend from the bulkhead 3| to a similar bulkhead 43 arranged at about an equal distance from but on the outboard side of the center plate 24. A further web or bulkhead 44 is secured between the vertical walls 25 and the top and bottom plates 32, 34 of the center sill at a distance from the aforesaid web or bulkhead 43 and is supplemented by stiffeners 45 secured between the aforesaid top and bottom plates 32, 34 and to the walls 25 of the outside of the latter. The bulkhead 44 constitutes the end of the draft gear pocket, to

be described in the following, and is for this reason additionally reinforced by triangular brackets 45 inserted between its inboard side and the bottom plate 34 in the interior of the center sill.

The center sill bottom plate 34 ends at about the bulkhead 44 beyond which point the walls 25 of the center sill continue in full height and spaced parallel relation to about the location of the intermediate transverse sill 22. Beginning at about the beam 22 the walls 25 are split up into two sections, an upper section 4? which continues straight to the end sill 23 and a lower section 48 which extends diagonally outwardly until it reaches the sill 23. The bottom plate 34 is continued beyond the bulkhead 44 by marginal flanges 49 extending outwardly from the walls 25 and their diagonal extensions 48. The

top plate 32 is continued to the end sill 23 but is provided between the beams 22 and 23 with a large opening 50. An intermediate bottom plate 5| is inserted at about half height between the walls 25 in the region between the bulkhead 44 and the beam l2 and is continued so as to bridge the gap between the upper and lower margins respectively of the extensions 4'? and 48 of the walls 25.

Horizontal stiffener fins 52 are secured to the outside of the walls 25 between the bulkhead 44 constitute in a way continuations of the fins 52.

The intermediate sill or beam 22 comprises vertical webs 54 and top and bottom walls 55, 55 which latter are arranged at the level and form continuations of the top wall 32 and the bottom flanges 49 of the center sill. The webs 54 do not extend across the space between the sections 48 of the center sill but they are continued by webs 51 inserted between and secured to the walls 32, 41 and 5| of the upper portion of the center sill.

The end beam or sill 23 is likewise of inwardly facing U-section with a vertical web 58, a top wall 59 in continuation of the top Wall 32 of the center sill and a bottom wall 63 which is secured to the intermediate horizontal wall 5| of the center sill. Secured to the ends of the transverse sills 22 and 23 are body posts 5| and 62 and to the end sill 23 opposite the ends of the inclined braces 48 is secured the collision post 63. Other reinforcements for the end wall and a cross bumper 64 of adequate bending capacity are likewise secured to the outside of the beam 23.

The draft gear 65 and the coupler 56 are arranged in the pocket formed between the side walls 25 and 48 of the center sill beneath the intermediate bottom wall 49 and terminated by the bulkhead 44. The pocket and the draft gear are closed at the bottom by a cover 61 secured to the flanges 49 of the center sill and reinforced by ribs 68. This cover 61 extends in both directions slightly beyond the bulkhead 44 and the web 54 of the beam 22 and has one of the reinforcing webs 57 arranged at the location of each of the aforesaid two members.

The main center sill 69 of the body fits with its outboard end between the inboard ends of the walls 25 and abuts the aforesaid bulkhead or web 3|. The underside of the sill 69 is substantially flush with the underside of the center sill of the end underframe. The side walls of sill 69 are secured by rivets 18 to the walls 25 of the end underframe. The extreme inboard end of the end underframe with its reinforcing webs or brackets 28 rests against the web H of a transverse needle beam 12 whichis connected to the body center sill 69. A shear web or plate H extends the web H through the interior of the center sill 69 and helps in the efiicient transmission of stresses.

A reinforcing plate 13 is secured to the bottom plates 34, 35 at the intersection of bolster beam and center sill, and the center bearing 24 is secured in the region of this plate 13 to the end underirame such as by rivets 14.

It will be noted that the draft gear 55, 66 is arranged substantially at the same level as the horizontal center line of the center sill 53 so that no or only small bending moments will occur. It will be noted, furthermore, that the end of the center sill 69 rests against the web 3| of the end underframe and the web 28 of the end underframe against the needle beam 12 of the body so that collision shocks will be safely transmitted between the body proper and the end underframe even in case the rivets 10 should give way. Finally, it will be noted that the underframe structure extends in both directions for nearly the same distance from the location of the center bearing 24 so that unequal loading, for instance, when a great number of persons crowd the end platform, will not unduly stress the connection between end underframe and center sill because this connection is at a comparatively great distance from the center plate 24.

The floor may be arranged at about the height of the top plate 32 of the end underframe and may be supported in the region of the body center sill 69 by transverse members whereas in the region of the top plate 32 the floor may be supported by longitudinal members fitted between the bolster beam 2| and the transverse sills 22 and 23, or secondary transverse floor beams may be connected preferably by brackets or a continuous rail are welded to the side walls of the end underframe. By these members, which are not shown, a continuous floor system can easily be provided. The floor panel constitutes preferably the customary shear panel for transmitting the stresses between the end underframe and the adjoining body structure especially the side walls.

The second embodiment illustrated in Figures 9 to 14 is quite similar to the first embodiment so that the same numerals have been used for corresponding parts and a complete description of the second embodiment is deemed unnecessary.

aeoopae second embodiment differs from the first one Will now be described.

The height oi the end frame center sill 2ft be tween the reinforcing webs 29 and the bulkhead 44 equals about the height of the body center sill 69 so that the same floor construction may be used all the way from the bulkhead 44 on the one end of the car. to the corresponding location near the other end. From the bulkhead 44 to the intermediate transverse sill 23,. the height of the center sill structure increases so that the outboard end between the sill 23 and the end sill 23 is substantially identical with the height and construction oi the first embodiment.

The bolster beam 2| has a dip at the center in order to provide. continuous flanges and top walls 32 and 33 respectively for both bolster beam and center sill of the end underframe,

The transverse sill 22 is of U-section. having its web secured to a web 15 inserted between the top and bottom walls of the center sill. A second transverse member 16 is secured at the location of the bulkhead 44. The cross members 22 and 16 are connected by longitudinal floor supports 11'.

In both embodiments the top and bottom plates of center sill and bolster" beam merge into each other by generous curves for efficient transmission of stresses and greater rigidity. The same principle is also employed at other points such as 0 between center sill and end beam.

The extent and shape of the component plates entering into the described and illustrated structures, that is, the location of the welding seams, is in many cases a question of choice and expediency. For instance, it may be found desirable to make in one piece each. side wall and the connecting web of the bolster beam as a onepiece plate and to build up the side walls of the center sill fromsections which end at the side walls of the bolster beam.

After having described two embodiments: of the: invention it seems appropriate to specifically point out features and advantages which are. of: primary importance.

Starting at the forward end, it will be noted that the collision post is backed updirectly' by a diagonal channel. This is very important for minimum weight. The center portion is taken. care of by the cross bumper of adequate bending capacity.

A second point of primary importance is the intersecting connection of the bolster beam and the center sill comprising through webs for both.

The top plate and flanges of both the bolster beam and the center sill are continuous and at the same level at least in the central portion so as torender the structure adequate to carry bending stresses across the bolster beam.

The deep cross beam or so-called needle beam at the inboard end of the underframe: center sillv should have the characteristics or a deep through beam. This beam is preferably connected at its ends to strong carlines extending uninterruptedly across the body, and similartransverseirames each including a needle beam may be arranged at certain intervals 50. as to transmit stresses from the center sills into the side. wall and roof structures;

On account of the continuation of the end underirame beyond the bolster, back into the car body, and on account of the termination of. the end underframe in a deep cross beam. inboard beyond the truck, a proper reactionary support for the termination of the end underirame is proend underframe.

vidcd. This results in a. structure sufllciently strong that it can withstand fatigue loadings and a secondary bending moment aft. of the bolster beam. While such secondary moment is generally not large, it has been in previous constructions a source of trouble due to the oscillation of this bending moment with varying coupler loads and has resulted in fatigue failure of bolster beam connections which were adequately strong from a static point of. view.

Another reason for continuing the end under-- frame inboard is to provide an adequate riveted connection to the center sill as well as to provide a suitable bulkhead for backing up the center sill. It will be noted that this bulkhead 3| shown in the drawing is several inches inboard of. the bolster beam. This is done for several reasons. One is that it must provide for the heel of a generous fillet arc. connecting both top and bottom cover plates to the bolster beam top and bottom flanges. The other reason is that it must provide sufficient length for inserting, are welded webs and reinforcements to carry the load from the center sill abutment. to the side walls of the While in ordinary operation the rivets. will have a generous capacity of taking the entire compression load, this bulkhead will, in general, provide a safety device for direct compression loads in case of ultimate failure of the rivets.

The double web structure of the bolster beam provides a more or less closed. section which can withstand lateral loads for transferring fore and aft compression loads to the side frames. Hereby the important condition is achieved that the bolster beam is strong enough to take the place of a so-called shear panel or to transmit col1ision shocks into the side walls it, as it often happened in. the case of severe collisions, the shear panel is torn up.

The vertical component of the thrust along the inclined body flange of the bolster beam is transmitted by the center plate itself. In this connection, it is of great importance that a clean out vertical reinforcement is provided at the change: in section of the lower flange where a connection to the beam flange and center plate. occurs.

On account of the through webs for the bolster beam, the center plate can be riveted to the bottom flange or plate. Furthermore, a vertical pincan be inserted at the center of the rectangle between the. connections of the two webs of the bolster beam and the two walls of the center sill which passes through the bolster beam.

With the new construction it has been possible tore-dime the reactions. on the bolster beam when the'car body is subjected to a fore and aft loading, as compared with previous structures. This reduces an additional loading on the bolster beam from that required to carry the dead loads of the car structure. Moreover, the extension of the end underframe causes a more desirable dis tribution of the reactions that take place in a collision in transmitting the loadings from the end. underframe into the car body itself.

While the invention is not restricted to the use of any specific material for the underlrame, it

about by the necessity of providing continuouswebs at the intersection of the bolster beam end uuderframe. Any form orbuilt-up structure 1 'witlrconnections to a castsillblock'would be more complicated and above all a continuous 'sheanplatethrough the intersection of bolster beam and center sill is very important to maintain in the new bolster beam design. a

Not only the bolster beam but all other cross beams designed for lateral strengthshould have integral and through shear webs.

"The connections between the side frames" and the bolster beam and the adjacent parts of the side frames should be such that at least two or more posts are brought into direct action in supporting the car from the bolster beam. "'"The center'sill, only the end which is shown in the drawing,-should continue from the end underframe connection without too 'rapid a change in section and should be treated as part of the floor structure rather than as an isolated compression beam for the more remote collision stresses. It is felt that a few deep floor beams with integral shear webs across the center sill and with adequate connections to the side truss should be employed. 1 The extension of the 'underframe inboard beyond the truck thus separating the reaction points will tend to relieve the pull down on the end truss overhang. The main underframe of the body is mainly carried at a considerable distance inboard of the reaction cross support represented by the bolster beam. The entire end underframe outlay may be regarded as a threepoint or -region suspension system, one point or region being located at or near each end of the center sill and the third point or region being located at the center plate.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated embodiments but it is susceptible to modifications and to adaptations to special conditions. -All such modifications and adaptations based upon the spirit of the invention are intended to be covered by the attached'claims.

What is claimed is:

1. End underframe for vehicles such as railway cars having a box-sectional center sill and bolster beam each composed of spaced vertical walls and top and bottom plates all integrally secured together such as by arc welding, the inboard end of the center sill being free of the top and bottom plates between its vertical walls, a transverse bulkhead inserted between the vertical walls of the center sill at about the location of the ends of the top and bottom plates, which bulkhead constitutes an abutment for the outboard end of a body sill adapted to be telescopingly inserted between the inboard ends of the vertical walls and to be secured to them such as by rivets.

. 2. End underframe subassembly for railway cars comprising a bolster beam and a box-sectional center sill, spaced vertical walls and top and bottom plates integrally secured together constituting the mainbody of the center sill, the vertical walls of the center sill being split up into an upper and a lower section for-a di'stance from the outboard end of the under-frame," the upper sections of-the vertical walls extendingsubstantially straight to the outboard end together with the top plate, the lower sections of. the vertical walls extending diagonally and-having their up-' permargins connected by intermediate platesto the'lower margins of the upper sections so as to form an open bottom box for a coupler. I

3. End underframe subassembly according to claim 2 in which the bottom plate of the center sill ends at a distance inboard from the point where the diagonally arranged lower section of the vertical walls begins, a transversebulkhead secured between the vertical walls at the end of the bottom plate forming a box open at the bottom for the reception of a draft gear.

4. End underfrarne subassembly according to claim 2 comprising a through-going end transverse beam integrally connected to the two sections of the vertical center sill walls and to the top plate and the intermediate plates connected therewith, said transverse beam being adapted for the attachment of the end of the body superstructure includingsuch members as a collision post, corner posts and a cross bumper. I 5. In a vehicle body, an end underframe subassembly adjoined by a body underframe, both underframes comprising a center sill each, the center sill of the end underframe extending inboard for a considerable distance beyond a bearing for a supporting truck and having its extended and connected to the end of the body underframe in overlapping relation, a transverse needle beam connected to the body center'sill at the end of the center sill of the end un'derframe so that it is abutted by the latter for the transmission of severe collision shocks. v

6. End underframe for railway cars and similar Vehicles comprising a bolster beam and a boxsection center sill, the center sill extending inboard beyond the bolster beam and having secured in its interior a bulkhead at a point between the beam and the inboard end of the sill, the in board end of the sill being adapted for the telescoping reception of a body center sill and. the bulkhead serving as an abutment for the entire end face of such sill.

7. End underframe subassembly for railway cars comprising a bolster beam and a box-sectional center sill. spaced vertical walls and top and bottom plates integrally secured together constituting the main body of the center sill, the vertical walls of the center sill being split up into an upper and a lower section for a distance from the outboard end of the underframe, the upper sections of the vertical walls extending substantially straight to the outboard end together with the top plate, the lower sections of the vertical walls extending diagonally and having their upper margins connected by intermediate plates to the lower margins of the upper sections so as to form an open bottom box for the coupler, the bottom plate of the center sill ending at a distance inboard from the point where the diagonally arranged lower section of the vertical walls begins, a transverse bulkhead secured between the vertical walls at the end of'the bottom plate and an comprising a bolster beam and a box-section cen ter:sill,the latter adapted atone endfor the con-v nectionfto a bodycente'r sill at a certain height and at the other end for the reception of a draft gear at about the same height so that the horizontal center lines 'of body centersill and draft gear substantially coincide, said'center sill of'the end frame having adjoining its outboard end its top wall raised above the location for body center sill and draft gear, the upper side of the bolster beam and the top wall of the end frame center sill being arranged at about the same level at 9 confined to a region on the outboard side from the bolster beam, and the bolster beam having a dip center.

10. Underframe center sill for vehicles such as railway cars, comprising transversely spaced vertical walls, said walls having an upper and a lower section for at least a distance from and adjoining the outboard end of the sill, the lower sections of said walls diverging laterally so that their ends are laterally spaced from the ends of the upper sections, connecting webs between the lower margins of the upper sections and the upper margins of the lower sections so as to form by said webs and said sections a box-shaped structure adapted for housing a, coupler.

RUPEN EKSERGIAN.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,035,848 Bettendorf Aug. 20, 1912 1,097,800 Hamilton May 26, 1914 1,114,209 Westlake Oct. 20, 1914 1,378,645 Barrows May 17, 1921 1,828,563 Goodwin Oct. 20, 1931 1,987,134 Stertzbach Jan. 8, 1935 1,988,729 Hallquist Jan. 22, 1935 2,026,035 Hallquist et a1 Dec. 31, 1935 2,079,552 Fenstermacher et al. May 4, 1937 2,185,976 Dean Jan. 2, 1940 2,239,634 Thunstrom Apr. 22, 1941 

